Process of coloring and graining wood



UNITED STAT s PATENT OFFICE.

KARL SCHNEIDER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF COLORING AND GRAINING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,422, dated September 20, 1881,

Application filed December 22, 1880.

To all whom "it may concern: I

Be it known that I, KARL SCHNEIDER, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Coloring and Graining Woods, of which the following is a specification. In all processes for coloring and graining woods heretofore in use it was necessary to sandpaper the surface of the wood, so as to fill up the pores and give it a smooth surface. This was especially necessary when the grain was laid on by means of an acidulated graining-color, as the same exerts a kind of blistering influence upon the pores of the wood and leaves, aftersandpapering, discolored portions,

' by which the regularity of the grain is inter rupted. The acidulated graining-colors have the further disadvantage that they cannot be used on wood after the same has been stained or polished in theusual manner, but that they have to be applied directly to the natural wood. The irregular character of the work produced, as well as the expense connected with the sandpaper ing of the surface of the wood, prevented the general application of these processes in the trades, and more especially in the manufacture of smaller articles, such as fancy boxes, pencils, and similar articles.

My invention is designed to furnish a process of imitating the more expensive woods, by which the sandpapering is entirely dispensed with, the instant drying of the different graining and staining colors obtained, and by which not only large quantities of goods can be turned out in a given time, but furthermore a more uniform and superior blending of the graining-color and polish obtained.

The invention consists in treating wood first by graining the surface with shellac varnish mixed with black or other color, next staining it with a colored varnish of lighter color, and, lastly, producing a gloss with common shellac varnish.

In coloring and graining wood by my process in imitation of more expensive woods, the

wood is used either in its natural color or a tint is imparted to the same by staining or otherwise in the usual manner. The surface of the natural or stained wood is then grained ormot- (No specimens.)

tled by a mixture of shellac varnish and a suitable non-acidulated color-as, for instance, for dark woods, black aniline, to which a small quantity of lamp-black may be added whenever a deeper black is desired to be obtained, such as is required for imitation ebony. This grainiug-color is applied with a brush, sponge, or other graining device in the usual manner, the graining-color drying almostinstantly, owing to the nature of the shellac-varnish employed. cle a soft and uniform black grain, which is instantly ready for the staining-color without requiring any sandpapering.

Whenever wood ot'light colorsuch as yellow citron or similar wood-is to be imitated, then the shellac varnish is mixed with anilineyellow or any other suitable yellow color in place of the black aniline used for imitating the dark woods.

The staining-color consists of a shellac varnish of lighter colors, which is laid on over the entire surface of the wood. This stainingcolor blends with the black or other colored graining or mottling, and imparts, in conjunction with the-latter, to the surface the color of the wood to be imitated. When ebony is to be imitated the wood remains in this condition without any other polishing; but when a gloss is desired the surface is furthermore polished in the usual manner with common uncolored shellac varnish.

The staining-color may be of lighteror darker color, according to the color of the wood to be imitated, but always of a lighter shade than the first varnish used for graining.

If desired, the staining-color may also be laid on the surface before the graining-color, in which case the final polishing will produce the blending of the staining and graining colors.

The essential advantage of my process consists in the fact that no time is lost in drying the articles, as the graining, staining, and polishing operations are performed by varnishes which dry as soon as laid on. No delay is thereby incurred at all for drying the wood. Another advantage is that sand paperin g is entirely dispensed with at any stage of the process. I am therefore enabled to impart to the surface of cheaper woods the character and It imparts to the surface of the arti-- grain of the more expensive woods by a quicker, cheaper, and continuous process, and give the articles treated therewith a better finish and softer appearance than has been heretofore possible by the methods in which a tedious drying and sandpapering of the colors was rethen staining it with a shellac varnish of lighter color, and finallyproducing a gloss with I 5 a common shellac varnish, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in the presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of De- 2o cember, 1880.

KARL SUHNEIDER.

Witnesses PAUL GoEPEL, CARL KARP. 

